NOTHING HAPPENS IN WINTER -- OR DOES IT?

I guess I spoke too soon when I said that nothing happens in winter.

I don’t know when I first noticed the oven was acting a little strange, but when Mike baked a batch of oat bran muffins, it was clear that it hadn’t pre-heated correctly. After we played with the controls, it suddenly heated up and did its job, but the handwriting was on the wall, as we say.

Okay – enough about the problem. Discussion ensued. Should we fix it, which would be costly if we called a repairman, or should we just buy a new one? I voted for skipping the repair and going straight to the appliance store, arguing that it’s a 16-year-old low-end model and the cooktop is slowing up, too. Mike preferred to explore all options.

So, Monday after lunch, we visited a local appliance dealership. Mike carried along the element, which tested okay. Since it wasn't the element, diagnostics and repair would be expensive. Given its age and other issues, replacement was the best option.

What was I looking for in a new stove, asked the owner/salesman. I don’t want the cooktop, I said, because I’d like to be able to can on it, to which he replied, “Guess what – you can’t can on any new electric model.” He showed me that the new stove elements now have automatic shut-offs to prevent us from walking off, burning the bacon, and starting a grease fire. And it would be illegal for any dealer to sell the old-type burners, he added, even though I certainly wasn’t thinking along those lines. He also showed us that by law, the new range would have a brace that fits under the stove to prevent it from falling over should we decide to stand on the drawer, even though we agreed it would be stupid to stand on the drawer for any reason.

This one but in white

Okay, then I’ll stick with the glass cooktop, I said. After all, it looks nice and is easy to clean. We narrowed the choices to two Frigidaire models, and I chose the one that seemed a little nicer for just $30 more. However, it proved to be a discontinued model. As I always say, we simply don’t have choices -- not really.

Color was also discussed. My appliances are white, I said, but the salesman explained black and stainless steel are the main options now with white down the list. I said that I would accept black, but he said a white unit was on order with ETA as next Monday – no guarantees.

So, we bought it. The business complete, we came back home, and as Mike attempted to put the element back in the oven, it blew out. I mean the whole range (not Mike, thank heavens!) – kaput, finished, over. So, it sits there now, dark and silent. The dealership will haul it off when they deliver the new one.

Meanwhile, here we are in winter without stovetop or oven for at least a week. We’ll be making do with instant pots, crock pots, and the microwave, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try to boil water on the stove anyway. I already have. When I worked, I kept a nice electric tea kettle at the office, but I couldn't imagine the scenario in which I would ever need it again and gave it away. That's the way it goes. KW

[2018 UL Standards for Household Electric Ranges calls for temperature-limiting coils (sensi-temp technology).]